In a post below I referenced an e-mail from a Border Patrol agent. I have now receievd his permission to post it:

Hugh,

Hope you read this. I’m a Border Patrol Agent and have been assigned toArizona (Tucson Sector) for [many] years. This is the busiest sectionof border in the nation. I have been shot at and assaulted with rocks,bottles, etc. more times than I can count. I’m not bragging, just trying toestablish some credibility. Here are a few facts you should be aware of:

Fact: Fences are useless without Border Patrol Agents to patrol them. Theydon’t prevent people from crossing, they merely slow them down. Fences areabout certainty of arrest, not the physical barrier itself.

Fact: It takes one Agent per 1/4 mile to effectively control a section ofborder fence. Anything less and the fence(s) are ineffective. We see itevery day; the bad guys get over, under, or through.

Fact: Fences are absolutely necessary ONLY in urban areas where Agents haveonly seconds to minutes to make an apprehension.

Fact: The BP will never have sufficient manpower to forward deploy agentsevery 1/4 mile across the border. Fence or no fence, potential terrorists,illegal aliens and drug smugglers will exploit the areas devoid of agents.

Fact: Forward deploying every Agent in the BP will leave coverage gaps. These gaps will be exploited. With all Agents forward deployed no Agentswill be available to cover the gaps.

Fact: Huge tracts of the border are inaccessible because of environmentalissues and/or terrain challenges

Solution: DEFENSE IN DEPTH.

1. Forward deploy Agents in URBAN areas supported by fencing and stadiumlighting (See San Diego/Texas).2. Deploy roving patrols to rural/remote areas where agents have hours todays to make an apprehension. These agents need support from sensors,drive-through barriers, ground surveillance radar, infrared/daytime cameras,UAVs, air assets, etc to create certainty of arrest.3. Stand up permanent immigration checkpoints in Arizona on major routes ofegress from the border. Support these checkpoints with sensors, radar,remote cameras, etc to mitigate illegal traffic attempting to circumvent it.

San Diego, New Mexico and Texas have employed this strategy with greateffect; Arizona does not and is the weak link. Tucson Sector comprises 13%of the SW Border but accounts for nearly 40% of all BP apprehensions/illegalentries.

Give Arizona the technology, drive-through barriers, agents and permanentcheckpoints (WHICH HAVE BEEN BANNED BY CONGRESSIONAL LANGUAGE FROM1999-2006!!!!!) not 800+ miles of fence. It is a catastrophic waste ofmoney.

Ask any BP Agent on the southwest border and they’ll tell you the samething.

Don’t know if you reply to any of your Emails, but I would love to go intogreater depth if you’re interested, particularly regarding checkpoints inArizona.